Follow Up

Saturday morning we hauled back out to see Dr D. Eddy came with us, not his first visit to the Dr, but his first with K. We got there right about 9 and upon unloading, set about having our evaluation.

 Doing our trot out.

This was an interesting eval. Ashke has shoes on his fronts, which Dr D said he seemed to prefer. The shoes had changed how he was moving, to the betterment of his front end, but she wants shoes put on his back feet as well. She thinks he is benefitting from the increased traction and lack of pain he was experiencing (even low grade) and since he is weaker in the back, wants to see if the shoes help correct the adducting he does with the right hind. I've contacted the farrier and we should see those go on Sunday.

 Doing a bit of stretching, to evaluate the shoulder. Dr D had to put her foot over his, since he really wanted to bow instead of stretch.

 Ashke was very hands on this visit. He really likes Doc, so was very interested in what she was doing.

 He was sore through the front left shoulder and right hip. 

Not horrible, just needed a little help.

I think it is all of the proper cantering we are doing right now.

 Testing the vertebrae at the base of his neck.

The only place that was out was the L2 - L3 region, which is a chronic thing.

 Doc evaluating the L2 - L3 spot

 Eddy being Eddy Van Halen

 Playing in his water, which has thirst quencher in it.

Injecting Ashke's blood into the accupuncture spots to initiate a immune response from the body.

 This was two seconds before he humped his back and bucked in protest at the needle going into his right sacro-illiac point. Poneh is sore on the right hip.

 Laser treatment over the troubled spots.

Ashke was being a bit anxious and Doc said "I haven't even turned it on yet."

Toddler, I swear. 

Triggering the complete back lift up through the shoulders.

Two things to note: the pain and trouble spots are fairly consistent in this horse. Left shoulder and right hip. Second, this was the first visit where there were no indicators for his withers. At all. I got the TSF saddle girth and I think that is the reason why. He is not as girthy, moves his shoulders more freely, and no indicators of pain in the wither area.

 Then it was Eddy's turn.

Doc found the same issues with Eddy this time as she did the last time she saw him three years ago (prior to K purchasing him). He is tight in the left hip through right shoulder, poll and jaw. He also really needs his teeth done. There is a big hook on the right side and his incisors keep his jaw from moving side to side.

Although I do take it he was better behaved this time around.

And guess what is in Doc's used tack store upstairs?!!!

My old Prestige Trekkerland. We tried it on Eddy, since I think it will fit K much better than the Abetta she is currently riding in. It was tight in the right shoulder, but Doc wants us to wait until he's responded to treatment before making a decision on it. 

On Monday, I rode Ashke (he got the weekend off to allow the body work to do it's magic). He was soft and very good for me and we spent most of the ride working on our canter. Toward the end I asked him to do a series of three figure eights with a simple change through the walk in the middle. We've been working on walk-canter transitions. He did two just fine, then tripped on his third circle to the right, came into the middle and bucked when I asked for the change to the left. I yelled and smacked him on the neck, then circled him at the trot a couple of circles before asking for the canter again. He gave it to me, made a change in the middle and a finally circle to the right. At that point I was willing to be done.

Then I heard it and swung off. Sure enough on the circle he tripped on, he managed to put his right hind foot on the inside back edge of his left front shoe and twisted the shoe badly. I really need to stop thinking "oh, my horse will never do this . . . " because that is just a day before he does whatever I was thinking he will never do. I've already ordered bell boots from BOT (they were offered in small, which no one else carries) and while I'm pleased he is reaching up underneath himself so far, really horse?

As far as the buck goes, he is being very expressive. I think he was still a little sore from the adjustment/weekend and didn't really want to try. He thought he had done enough. It was not a horrible buck and I was in no danger of coming off (I LOVE my ALTA!!!!), it was more along the lines of him complaining about the work. As we continue to work on the canter, I expect the protest will go away. 

It's been more than four years since I started riding him and finally, finally we are making progress. Thank you so much Amanda. Without your guidance and help we would still be floundering.